


Will of the Force

by vaenire



Series: spiritassassin prompts [1]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Clone Wars era, M/M, arguably - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 06:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10714242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vaenire/pseuds/vaenire
Summary: He had felt something coming, a manifestation in the Force. Still, he was caught off guard when Baze told him about his plans to go with the Jedi and her Padawan as they were called back to the war.--for the prompt "going away to war"





	Will of the Force

At thirty-two years old, Chirrut couldn’t remember feeling so childish.

He sat on their bed silently, listening as Baze folded his spare robe and few changes of underclothes. His head was bowed, face impassive.

He had felt something coming, a manifestation in the Force. Still, he was caught off guard when Baze told him about his plans to go with the Jedi and her Padawan as they were called back to the war. Unlike Chirrut, Baze had been listening intently to the news of the war—the invasions of neutral systems by the Separatists as well as the Republic, the corruption of the Banking Clan and Senate. Chirrut did not think it really concerned them, on the distant moon of Jedha. All was, after all, as the Force willed it.

Baze believed the Force willed him toward the battlefield.

Baze cleared his throat and slung his small bag over his shoulder, letting Chirrut know he was ready to go. Chirrut takes his staff up in his hands and stands. He reaches out for Baze’s elbow and finds it where Baze is holding his arm out for him. The fabric of his travel robes was soft. 

Chirrut could sense the Jedi Knight and her Padawan in the courtyard. They were preparing for departure, just waiting for their clone squadron and for Baze. 

Baze and Chirrut walked silently through the temple’s dormitory. Chirrut’s feet felt heavy, dragging again the stone floor. As they passed a window, Chirrut could smell the moisture of coming rain. 

The end of the dormitory halls comes and they go down the steps into the courtyard, where the transport was being loaded. Chirrut stood by the foot of the stairs, around the corner and out of sight of those gathered by the Jedi’s shuttle, as Baze went to put his bag in the pile of luggage. He returned shortly, standing in front of Chirrut.

Chirrut was uncertain of what to say.  _ Don’t go _ , perhaps. Or  _ take me with you _ .

“Chirrut,” Baze said, placing a hand on Chirrut’s shoulder. Chirrut inhaled a slow, deep breath. He felt his brow cinch together even as he tried to keep an even expression. “What is upsetting you?”

He tilted his face up, toward Baze, and shook his head, forcing a smile. He could sense Baze didn’t buy it. The hand on his shoulder relocated, now on his cheek and Baze was pressing his forehead against Chirrut’s own.

“I will be back.”

Chirrut grabbed Baze’s wrist. “I should come with you.”

Baze chuckled, inches from Chirrut’s lips. “Is that the will of the Force?”

For a moment, Chirrut was indignant at such a question. But he collected himself. He took another deep breath and released it slowly. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his feelings. “No.”  _ No, Chirrut’s path did not stray that far from Jedha. _

Baze patted his cheek, breaking contact and taking a half step back.  

Chirrut seized as an idea came to him. He pulled at the string around his neck, pulling it from where it was tucked under his layers of robes and pulled it off his head. He held it out to Baze.

“Take this. A good luck charm,” he said. It was his starbird pendant.

Chirrut could hear him hesitate. “I couldn’t,” Baze said, not at all resolutely.

Chirrut pressed it against Baze’s chest with an open hand. “I insist.”

Baze shrunk away from the touch, but Chirrut kept his hand on his persistently. “It’s too important to you.”

“Exactly, then you  _ have _ to bring it back to me.” Chirrut flash the grin he knew made it difficult for Baze to deny anything he asked.

Baze was silent for a long moment before he placed his hand over Chirrut’s, his thumb stroking over the sensitive skin below Chirrut’s pinkie. His other hand took Chirrut’s chin between his thumb and forefinger. He tilted it up, wiping the grin off Chirrut’s face in his surprise. Chirrut’s eyes widened in surprise as he felt Baze lean in. 

Chirrut’s hand tightened on his staff as Baze pressed a warm, chaste kiss to his lips, lingering. Just as his eyes slid closed, Baze pulled back. Chirrut savored the warm contact points, and the light feeling of Baze’s breath on his face. 

“You don’t have to go.” It slipped out of Chirrut’s mouth before he could help it.

Baze chuckled once again, his hand sliding to cup Chirrut’s cheek. “I’ve committed to it, and I don’t go back on my commitments.”

Chirrut bowed his head. He shouldn’t be upset by that—of course Baze would have several commitments that conflicted. This was just a short term one, one that would take Baze away for a limited time.

He took his hand back from Baze’s, opening the string and holding it in front of Baze’s face as a suggestion to put it on.

Baze took it, and Chirrut could hear him putting it over his head, his robe rustling as he slipped it under against his chest. “I’ll bring it back, I promise.”

“Malbus?” the Knight called from around the corner. 

“I have to go,” Baze whispered. Chirrut licked his lips and nodded.

“May the Force be with you.”

Baze pressed his smile against Chirrut’s cheek. “May the Force be with you, as well.”

Baze left him at the bottom of the steps, his strides quick as he returned to the ship. “I’m here.”

Chirrut blocked out the sound of their chat as they prepared to leave. Instead he focused on the Force around him, willing it to go with Baze into battle—which was quaint of him to think about, because the Force was  _ everywhere _ —and to protect him. To bring him back.

**Author's Note:**

> shih-coulda-had-it (on tumblr) illustrated a bit of this fic and i will forever love her for it [<3 <3 ](https://shih-coulda-had-it.tumblr.com/post/156472012460/vaenire-had-a-prompt-binge-and-boy-did-i-sign)


End file.
